School MattersCatholic High School vs St. Margaret's School (Secondary)
Compare recorded PSLE entry ranges, CCAs, DSA programmes and location, with intake years shown alongside the data.
At a glance
| Compare | Catholic High School | St. Margaret's School (Secondary) |
|---|---|---|
| School type | Boys' School | Girls' School |
| Level | Secondary (S1-S4) | Secondary (S1-S4) |
| School tags | IP · SAP · Autonomous | Autonomous |
| Zone | North | South |
| Address | 9 Bishan Street 22 | 111 Farrer Road |
| Nearest MRT | Bishan | Farrer Road |
| Listed CCAs | 18 | 21 |
| DSA listings | 34 | 16 |
Differences to explore
- CCA
- The records share 0 CCA listings. Catholic High School also lists Basketball (Boys), Chinese Drama (Boys), Chinese Orchestra (Boys), Choir (Boys) and more, which do not appear in the other school's records. St. Margaret's School (Secondary) also lists Art and Crafts (Girls), Badminton (Girls), Basketball (Girls), Bowling (Girls) and more, which do not appear in the other school's records. Listings may be incomplete; confirm availability with each school.
- DSA programme
- The records share 0 DSA programme listings. Catholic High School also lists Basketball (Boys), Basketball (Boys) - IP, Bilingualism (Boys) - IP, Chinese Drama (Boys) and more, which do not appear in the other school's records. St. Margaret's School (Secondary) also lists Badminton (Girls), Basketball (Girls), Bowling (Girls), Chinese Dance (Girls) and more, which do not appear in the other school's records. Listings may be incomplete; confirm availability with each school.
- Programme tags
- Catholic High School: IP / SAP; St. Margaret's School (Secondary): no IP or SAP tag listed. Check the specific programme your child would enter.
- The daily journey
- Nearby MRT stations listed for Catholic High School: Bishan; for St. Margaret's School (Secondary): Farrer Road. Compare the full journey from home, including transfers and the walk to school.
Recorded entry ranges
| Compare | Catholic High School | St. Margaret's School (Secondary) |
|---|---|---|
| IP · Non-affiliated | 2026 · 4D–7M | Not listed |
| PG3 · Non-affiliated | 2026 · 6D–8M | 2026 · 8–11 |
| PG3 · Affiliated | 2026 · 7–12 | 2026 · 10–20 |
| PG2 · Non-affiliated | Not listed | 2026 · 21–23 |
| PG2 · Affiliated | Not listed | 2026 · 21–25 |
| PG1 · Non-affiliated | Not listed | 2026 · 25–26 |
| PG1 · Affiliated | Not listed | 2026 · 25–28 |
Each range belongs to the intake year and programme shown. Affiliated and non-affiliated ranges are separate. D, M and P are Higher Mother Tongue requirements. Past ranges do not guarantee admission.
Get to know each school
Catholic High School
Catholic High began in 1935 within the Church of St Peter and Paul at Queen Street, founded by Father Edward Becheras. It moved to Bishan in 1992. The school describes bilingualism as a founding principle and welcomes Catholic and non-Catholic pupils. This review concerns the secondary section: primary-school CCA, curriculum and camp reports cannot establish what a secondary pupil will experience, even though both sections share the school name and website.
The current secondary overview presents the Joint Integrated Programme and SEC Programme. IP pupils spend four years at Catholic High before progressing to Eunoia Junior College; SP pupils apply to post-secondary institutions using examination results and may choose junior college or polytechnic. The track is chosen during DSA or Secondary 1 posting. The page distinguishes CJC affiliation from EJC: SP pupils do not receive affiliation bonus points for EJC. Families should check the applicable admissions rules rather than assume an IP partnership guarantees an SP place.
St. Margaret's School (Secondary)
St Margaret’s traces its roots to Maria Dyer’s 1842 home and school for homeless girls in North Bridge Road. The school moved to Sophia Road in 1861 and adopted the St Margaret’s name after the Second World War. A separate secondary campus was completed at Farrer Road in 1960 and officially opened in 1963. Redevelopment began in 1998, with a temporary move to Commonwealth Avenue before returning in December 2000; the rebuilt campus was officially opened in 2002. From January 2023, the primary and secondary schools adopted the St Margaret’s School names to reflect their shared heritage. The primary school’s recent Sophia Road return is a separate campus story.
The Arts Education Programme targets all students through assembly performances and post-examination workshops, with examples including gamelan, creative movement, manga art and storytelling. Enhanced Music is a separate two-year upper-secondary course for students with musical potential and interest. Sec 2 applicants are directed to their Music teacher in Term 3; selection includes aural tests and recordings of two contrasting pieces. The page also describes a written test and audition, so confirm the current procedure. It still names the O-Level examination: incoming cohorts should check their applicable examination and subject requirements. Choir, String Ensemble and Concert Band support Music opportunities but do not guarantee EMP admission.
CCAs and programmes
Catholic High School
- Basketball (Boys)
- Chinese Drama (Boys)
- Chinese Orchestra (Boys)
- Choir (Boys)
- Concert Band (Boys)
- English Drama (Boys)
- Floorball (Boys)
- Modern Dance (Boys)
- National Cadet Corps (NCC) (Air) (Boys)
- National Cadet Corps (NCC) (Land) (Boys)
- National Police Cadet Corps (NPCC) (Boys)
- Scouts (Boys)
- Softball (Boys)
- St John Brigade (Boys)
- Table Tennis (Boys)
- Track and Field (Boys)
- Volleyball (Boys)
- Wushu (Boys)
St. Margaret's School (Secondary)
- Art and Crafts (Girls)
- Badminton (Girls)
- Basketball (Girls)
- Bowling (Girls)
- Chinese Dance (Girls)
- Choir (Girls)
- Concert Band (Girls)
- English Drama (Girls)
- Fencing (Girls)
- Floorball (Girls)
- Girl Guides (Girls)
- Girls' Brigade (Girls)
- Indian Dance (Girls)
- Infocomm Technology (Media Production) (Girls)
- Malay Dance (Girls)
- Modern Dance (Girls)
- National Police Cadet Corps (NPCC) (Girls)
- Netball (Girls)
- Red Cross Youth (Girls)
- String Ensemble (Girls)
- Tennis (Girls)
Listed DSA programmes at Catholic High School
- Basketball (Boys)
- Basketball (Boys) - IP
- Bilingualism (Boys) - IP
- Chinese Drama (Boys)
- Chinese Drama (Boys) - IP
- Chinese Orchestra (Boys)
- Chinese Orchestra (Boys) - IP
- Choir (Boys)
- Choir (Boys) - IP
- Concert Band (Boys)
- Concert Band (Boys) - IP
- English Drama (Boys)
- English Drama (Boys) - IP
- Floorball (Boys)
- Floorball (Boys) - IP
- Humanities (Boys) - IP
- Leadership (Boys)
- Leadership (Boys) - IP
- Mathematics (Boys) - IP
- Modern Dance (Boys)
- Modern Dance (Boys) - IP
- Music Elective Programme (Boys)
- Music Elective Programme (Boys) - IP
- Science (Boys) - IP
- Softball (Boys)
- Softball (Boys) - IP
- Table Tennis (Boys)
- Table Tennis (Boys) - IP
- Track and Field (Boys)
- Track and Field (Boys) - IP
- Volleyball (Boys)
- Volleyball (Boys) - IP
- Wushu (Boys)
- Wushu (Boys) - IP
Listed DSA programmes at St. Margaret's School (Secondary)
- Badminton (Girls)
- Basketball (Girls)
- Bowling (Girls)
- Chinese Dance (Girls)
- Choir (Girls)
- Concert Band (Girls)
- English Drama (Girls)
- Fencing (Girls)
- Floorball (Girls)
- Indian Dance (Girls)
- Malay Dance (Girls)
- Modern Dance (Girls)
- Netball (Girls)
- String Ensemble (Girls)
- Tennis (Girls)
- Visual Arts (Girls)
Questions about these schools
How should I choose between Catholic High School and St. Margaret's School (Secondary)?
Start with programmes, the CCAs your child wants and the actual journey from home. Visit both schools to assess the daily environment. Counts and past results alone do not establish which school fits your child.
How do their recorded PSLE entry ranges compare?
IP · Non-affiliated: Catholic High School 2026 · 4D–7M; St. Margaret's School (Secondary) Not listed. PG3 · Non-affiliated: Catholic High School 2026 · 6D–8M; St. Margaret's School (Secondary) 2026 · 8–11. PG3 · Affiliated: Catholic High School 2026 · 7–12; St. Margaret's School (Secondary) 2026 · 10–20. PG2 · Non-affiliated: Catholic High School Not listed; St. Margaret's School (Secondary) 2026 · 21–23. PG2 · Affiliated: Catholic High School Not listed; St. Margaret's School (Secondary) 2026 · 21–25. PG1 · Non-affiliated: Catholic High School Not listed; St. Margaret's School (Secondary) 2026 · 25–26. PG1 · Affiliated: Catholic High School Not listed; St. Margaret's School (Secondary) 2026 · 25–28.
Do past admission records guarantee a place?
No. Ranges belong to the intake year and programme shown and can change. Keep affiliated and non-affiliated ranges separate and retain any D, M or P Higher Mother Tongue suffix.